Army First Lieutenant Donald Plogmann and his men faced death daily while stationed on the Korean Demilitarized Zone (the DMZ or the 38th Parallel) during the Korean War. He was 22 and ready to start his life with a fiancé and a new job when the Army drafted him in 1951. He was sent to Korea and recognized with a Silver Star on Aug. 9, 1953, for bravery.

Marian Schroer joined the Marines in 1951 after her fiancé, Charlie, died in the Korean War. “I felt like I should go and take his place,” she explained. She was stationed in Washington, D.C., working as a keypunch operator. After the Korean War, she married a fellow marine and raised two children.

Plogmann and Schroer were both Hospice of Cincinnati patients, just two of many veterans we’ve served over the years as a partner in the We Honor Veterans program. This pioneering program focuses on meeting the unique needs of veterans, guiding them through their life stories toward a more peaceful life ending.

Sadly, many of America’s troops never had the opportunity to return home and live a long and fruitful life like Plogmann and Schroer, guided to a peaceful end with the support of Hospice care. Nor were they personally able to witness the accolades and gratitude of a thankful nation. Those are the men and women we honor on Memorial Day.

Bereavement experts at Hospice of Cincinnati say rituals to remember lost loved ones is important in honoring their time with us and helping survivors to grieve. But remembrance also helps a grieving and grateful nation cope with the loss of its brave warriors. And while it’s common – and encouraged – to attend a parade, hang a flag or visit a cemetery on Memorial Day, here are a few more ideas from the Hospice team on how to honor those we lost to war:

Do research on family members and/or friends who lost their lives fighting in a war for our freedom. Create a scrapbook or video of photos, news stories and/or other items about their lives and the times in which they lived.

Volunteer for an organization that supports the armed services, veterans or military families.

Honor a living veteran with a meal, a note or a simple “Thank You.”

Plant a tree in memory of a fallen soldier.

Light a candle on Memorial Day near a photo of someone you lost to war, or near a patriotic symbol.

Make a donation to a local or national group that supports the armed services, surviving veterans or military families.

Attend a religious service on Memorial Day or engage in quiet spiritual reflection.

Write a letter or opinion piece for your local community newspaper, remembering the fallen and thanking those who currently serve. Share your own personal experience with the loss of someone you knew to war, if appropriate.

Pause at 3 p.m. local time for 60 seconds during the National Moment of Remembrance.

Visit a war memorial, monument, or military museum.

If you know a Gold Star family (a family that lost a loved one to war), make a plan to reach out to them in support.

Avoid saying, “Happy Memorial Day” or “enjoy your holiday” to someone who lost a loved one to war. For them, it may not be a “happy” or “enjoyable” day. Instead, say “Tell me about your soldier,” or simply, “Thank you.”

Take time during the long weekend to teach your children or grandchildren about war. Read books or watch an age-appropriate movie together and discuss it afterwards. Help them understand that war is real and serious, and not “fun” or “cool” like in their video games.

Create and/or enjoy a piece of art, music or poem in their memory.

Purchase and wear a Buddy Poppy from a local Veterans of Foreign Wars or American Legion group. Proceeds help support veterans’ organizations and services for vets.

Remembrance can take many shapes and forms, and includes honoring those who fought for our freedoms as well as those with whom we lived and loved. This Memorial Day, indulge in cookouts and parades, but also be sure to honor the memory of our fallen soldiers. No one who sacrificed so much should ever be forgotten.

For more information about Hospice of Cincinnati and our mission to provide the best possible and most meaningful end-of-life experience for all who need care and support in our community, call us at (513) 891-7700, or visit our website at www.HospiceofCincinnati.org.

Members of the editorial and news staff of the USA Today Network were not involved in the creation of this content.